This may well be my favorite Bert-and-Ernie song.
I remember watching this sketch as a little kid, and I’ve probably watched it dozens of times since then, and it still makes me laugh as though it were the first time (and I needed a good laugh tonight).
At the same time, it has a very useful message, that being friends doesn’t mean that you have to like the same things or do the same things all the time. It uses a light touch, but there are profound implications about how true friendship means acceptance and giving one another space.
There’s some question about whether Ernie is genuinely oblivious to how much frustration he causes Bert or whether he’s aware and does it on purpose just to get a reaction out of Bert. Personally, I think it varies depending on the writer, but in this sketch, I prefer to believe that he’s genuinely oblivious. Or maybe I’m just projecting my own shortcomings onto him, because when people (my sister, for example) try to communicate indirectly with me, I can often be completely oblivious to the hints that they drop.
Frog of La Mancha 
I’m a hinter, more than direct, and I guess I expect others to read my mind, but it often does not work. Got to clean up my own mess, right?
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To be fair, I may not be the most direct communicator myself. It goes along with my conflict aversion and not wanting to be controversial.
But it’s particularly difficult to communicate with my sister because she always makes these very dry, sarcastic comments in a completely deadpan tone of voice, so I can never tell when she’s making a joke, dropping a hint, or just making an observation.
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Sweet one, this is why I do not do well with sarcasm. I take most everything literally. My late mom to to tell everyone, ‘do not lie to her, even if you mean’t it as a joke.’
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